Ditching-machine.



No. 647,473. 7 Patented Apr. I7, |900.

M. G. BUNNELL.

n DITCHING `MACHINE.

Application med may 1 1, 1899A N o M o d el 5 Sheets-Sheet L 'in' N fMai am cyCMQ/y.

No. 647,473. Patented Apr. I7, |900.

l M. a. BUNNELL DITGHING MACHINE.

(Application med Mayu, 1899.1 (No Mndel.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No. 647,473. Patented Apr. I7. |900.

M. G. BuNNELL. DITCHING MACHINE.

(Application filed May 11, 1899.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

ma rlonms Pneus oo., PHomLlTHo.. wAsHxNsroN. u. c.

(No Model.)

' Patented Apr. I7, |900. -M. G. BUNNELL.

DITCHING MACHINE.

(Application filed May 11, 1899.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

No. 647,473. Patented Apr. I7, |900. M. Gv BUNNELL.

DITCHING MACHINE.

AppIcation tiled May 1,1. 1899.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

Nirn l STATES MORTON G. BUNNELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TOFREDERICK C; AUSTIN, OF SAME PLACE.

DlToHlNe-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 647,473, dated April17, 1900:. Application nea May 11, 1399. serrano. 716,390. cumin .fb @ZZwhom, t may concern,.-

Beit known that I, MoRToN G. BUNNELL, a citizen of t-he United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Ditching-Hachines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a class oi' ditchingmachines particularlyadapted for making 1o narrow trenches and commonly known astile-ditchers and server-builders.7

The objects of my invention are to provide a strongfsimple,serviceable,and easily-operated ditching-machine and to therebyfacilitate the operations of laying tile and building sewers, to providea practical construction of ditching-machine involving a series oftraveling buckets which are successively lilled at the lowest point intheir path of zo travel and Which are then automatically tripped orupset at a point above for the purpose of discharging their loads, totrip or upset the buckets in such manner that the dirt Will be instantlydischarged therefrom, td facilitate the filling of the buckets byproviding suitable means for loosening or stirring up the soil, toprovide a machine capable of making trenches of various depths, tosecure greater rigidity, to insure against clogging, to 3o reduce thecost of manufacture, to simplify and improve the driving mechanism toreduce friction, and to provide certain details and features ofimprovement tending to increase the general eliicieney of machines ofthis 3 5 class.

Toi the attainment of the foregoing and other useful ends the bucketsmay be arranged about the periphery of a Wheel mounted for rotationabout a horizontal axis. As a simple and advantageous arrangement, theWheel thus equipped with buckets can be provided peripherally withteeth, cogs, or the like, and by so doing a pinion having suitableconnection With the driving-shaft may be arranged in gear with andemployed to rotate the bucket-wheel. The buckets may be automatic intheir action-that is to say, the buckets maybe automatically tripped orupset for the vpurpose of discharging their loads, and, as a matter ofspecial improvement,

such tripping or upsetting can be terminated with a shock or impact ofsufficient force to insure an instantaneous and thorough dislodgment ofthe soil from the buckets. The filling of the buckets may be facilitatedby providing the periphery of the bucket-Wheel with a number of knivesor projections adapted to stir up and loosen the soil. The Wheel uponwhich the buckets are mounted can be supported forasubstantially-verticaladjust- 6o ment and with this arrangement trenchesor ditches can be made of various depths. A material reduction offriction may be secured by providing the bucket-wheel with small rollsin place of teeth or cogs, and this will also tend to prevent clogging.The buckets may be arranged in a double roul about the periphery of thebucket-wheel,and by providing a couple of opposite andlaterally-extending troughs or spouts the dirt taken up by the 7obuckets can be discharged at'each side of the trench or ditch.

Various other advantages and matters of improvement Will hereinaftermore fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents in side elevation aditching-machine constructed in accordance with my invention and showingthe bucket-Wheel in a lowered or Working position. Fig. 2 is also 8o aside elevation, but showing the bucket- Wheel in an elevated orinoperative position. Fig. 3 is a plan of the machine shown in Fig.

l. Fig. -i is a view, on a largeirscale, illustrating the method ofdriving the bucketwheel. Fig. 5 is a section on line .fr .fr in Fig.

4. Fig. 6 is a detail view illustrating the con-v struction of` thetilting frame which supports the bucket-Wheel. Fig. 7 is a view, on theY same scale as Fig. 4, of a portion of the bucket- 9o Wheel andillustrating the manner in which the buckets are tripped or upset. Fig.8 is a section on line y y in Fig. 7.

A ditching-machine constructed in accordance with my invention comprisesin general a platform or body-frame A,preferably mounted uponvehicle-Wheels ct and adapted to support an engine and a boiler, atilting frame B, arranged, preferably, to tilt about the rear journal oraxle, and a bucket-Wheel C, suproo ported at the rear end of the tiltingframe B, and gear connected With the driving-shaft of the engine. Thesaid body-frame or platform may be constructed in any suitable manner,and the boiler and engine can be supported, respectively, at frontandrear ends thereof. Various constructions may also be adopted for thetilting frame B; but as a preferred arrangement I construct the same ofa couple of parallel and oppositely-arranged trusses b b', suitablyconnected at their forward ends to form a frame and preferably arrangedoutside of the body-frame to permit a free tilting action. The tiltingframe may be arranged to tilt about the rear journal or axle a. as anaxis, and for this purpose each truss can be provided with a casting orbearing-block b', adapted to turn upon the said journal or axle. Eachtruss may be composed of a couple of channel-irons bolted or rivetedtogether substantially in the manner shown in Figs. l, 4, and 6, thoughit is of course obvious that the construction of the tilting frame canbe modified according to requirements and without in any way departingfrom the spirit of my invention. As a simple arrangement for tilting theframe B, and thereby raising and lowering the bucket-Wheel, I connectthe forward end of the said frame by means of ropes, chains, or othersuitable connectors with one or more winding-drums a2, Vjournaled inboxes on the under side of the body-frame. The said drums may be rotatedin any suitable manner-as, for instance, by gear connecting thedrum-shaft with a shaft a3, having its end squared in the well-knownmanner to receive a crank, and with such arrangement it is obvious thatthe frame B can be tilted readily by hand and the bucket-wheel in thisway adjusted for any depth of trench,and whilethe said bucket-wheel mayfor the broader purposes of my invention be of any ordinary constructionand connected in any suitable manner with the driving-shaft of theengine I prefer to adopt aform of Wheel commonly known as alantern-wheel or wallower and to connect such wheel with thedriving-shaft by means of suitable gears or pinions. Accordingl yIconstruct the bucket-wheel of a couple of rings c c and an annularchannel-iron c', the two rings being arranged side by side andconcentric to the annular channel-iron and the spokes c2, which connectthe outer portion of the wheel with the hub, being preferably crossed inthe manner shown in Fig. S. A plurality of small rolls or trundles c3may be mounted between thetwo rings c c, and the hub c4 can be extendedat either side to give additional strength and stability. Theengine-shaft E is preferably gear-connected with the bucket-wheelthrough the medium of gears e e and a pinionc?, and as a matter ofspecial improvement the gear e and the pinion e2 are keyed to a sleevee3, mounted for rotation upon the rear journal or axle a4. (See Figs. 4and 5.) In this way the lan ternwheel or wallower can be rotated atwill, the teeth on the pinion e2 being adapted to mesh with and engagethe trundles c3 on the said wallower, and in this connection it will beobserved that the pinion e2, by reason of its teeth being embraced ateither side by the rings or annular side flanges c c, tends to opposeand prevent lateral shift or side play on the part of the bucket-wheel.In other words, the teeth of the pinion are preferably of a width toprevent lateral shift or side play on the part of the wallower. Aspreviously stated, the buckets F can be arranged in a double row aboutthe rim or periphery of the lantern-Wheel or wallower, a preferredarrangement being to provide the wheel with a number of short shafts orarbors f and to mount the buckets in pairs upon the said arbors-that isto say, one at each side of the wheel-substantially as illustrated inFig. 8. Each bucket thus pivotally mounted upon the wheel will be freevto swing about its shaft or arbor as an axis, and by referring to Fig.7 it will be seen that the wheel also is provided with stops f', whichalternate with the buckets and which serve to limit the swing of eachbucket to what is approximately a quarter-turn. It will also be observedthat each bucket is provided with an arm f2 and that the bail G isconstructed with a couple of opposite and inwardly-proj ectin gtrippingarms g. These tripping-arms are preferably provided with curvedportions g', which are directly in the path of the arms f2 on thebuckets, and the opposite and laterally-proj ecting troughs G are alsopreferably secured to and supported by the said bail. The stops f',which limit the swing of the buckets, may be conveniently providedbybending out the inner end portions of the bars f3, and theselaterally-projectinginner end portions can be provided with strips ofwood f4, or similar material, adapted to afford suitable surfaces forreceiving the impact of the buckets when the latter are tripped or upsetby the arms g. It is also desirable to make some provision for stirringup or loosening the soil, so as to facilitate the filling of thebuckets, and to such end the outer end portions of the bars f3 can bebent outwardly, like their inner ends, and these laterally-projectingouter end portions may be provided with the toothshaped knives orcutters f5. The length of the bars f3 is preferably such that the saidknives or cutters extend radially beyond the buckets, so as to loosenthe dirt in advance of the latter, (see Fig. 1,) and it will also beobserved that the knives or cutters are not in line circumferentiallyor, in other words, that the members of each pair of these toothshapedcut-ters are either a little nearer or a little farther apart than thoseof the preceding pair, the object being to insure a thorough looseningof the soil for the full width of the buckets. (See Figs. 3 and 8.) Fachside of the wheel is also preferably provided with knivesf, which extendlaterally beyond the sides of the wheel, (see Fig. 3,) and these knivescan also be mounted upon the laterally-projecting outer end portions ofthe bars IIO The knives f5 tear up or loosen the soil for the buckets,while the knives f6 pare or shave the sides of the trench, and thus keepthe latter of sufficient width to prevent the wheel from binding. Theends of the knifesupports can be tied together by means of rods or barsf7, and the ends of theshafts or arbors upon which the buckets aremounted may be connected in a similar manner by means of bars f S. Withthis arrangement the dirt loosened or torn up by the knives or cutterswill be scooped up by the buckets, the bucket-wheel being rotated in thedirection indicated by the arrow in Fig. l, and each bucket when trippedor upset by reason of its arm f2 striking one of the arms g willdischarge its load or contents into one of the laterallyprojectingtroughs G'. Each bucket, as soon as it strikes the soil, will swing backuntil it bears against the stop immediately in its rear, and will remainin such position until its arm strikes the curved portion g of thetripping-arm g, when it will be swung over orupset in such manner as tostrike the stop immediately in front of it. The impact of the mouth ofthe bucket upon the strip of wood f4 will tend to dislodge the dirt fromthe bucket and in such way to insure an instantaneous dischargetherefrom regardless of the character of the soil in which the machineis working. In this way, therefore, it will be seen that in upsettingthe lip of each bucket is brought violently into contact with a stop,which then serves to hold the bucket in an inverted position and thatfor this reason the discharge from each bucket is prompt and practicallysimultaneous with its upsetting; and while the curvature of the portionsg' of the tripping-arms will permit the initial movement of the bucketsin upsetting to be comparatively slow, so as to avoid shock andliability of breakage, the arrangement is such that the movement will beaccelerated suiiiciently to cause the buckets to strike the stops withthe requisite amount of force. Variations in the depth of the trench orditch may be obtained by tilting the frame B about its axis, so as toeither raise or lower the bucketwheel, and it is with reference to suchadj ustrnent of the latter that the bail G, which supports the troughsG, -is preferably arranged to swing about the axis of thebucketwheel--that is to say, the bail-and consequently the troughs andtripping-arms are adjustable relatively to the tilting frame B and cantherefore be maintained at a point directly above the axis of the wheel,regardless of the depth at which the latter is working. As a simple andeffective arrangement .for locking the bail when the same is adjusted tothe proper position I provide an arm G2, arranged to swing about therear axle or journal a4 and having its distal end portion adjustablyconnected with the upper part of the said bail. The adjustableconnection between the swinging arm and the bail may be ol' any form,but preferably consists in providing the arm with a series of bolt-holesg2. Tith this arrangement the bucket-wheel may be adjusted vertically,and the bail can then be adj listed accordingly. Forinstance,should itbe found desirable to elevate the wheel from the position shown in Fig.l the attendant will tirst rotate the drums a2 so as to partially windup the connecting-cables, and will then loosen the locking-bolt g3 forthe purpose of permitting the bail to be swung rearward to an extent tobring the troughs over the axis of the wheel. The bail can then belocked in such position by reinserting the locking-bolt in the bail andthrough the proper hole in the arm g2. Any known or suitable means maybe employed for moving the machine forward in the direction desired forthe excavation, and the dirt thrown up as a result of the rotary andprogressive movement of the bucket-wheel may be discharged either intowagons or simply onto the ground at each side of the trench.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. A ditching-machine comprising aseries of traveling buckets and a plurality of stops, each bucket beingprovided with a suitable lip; said buckets being constructed andarranged to scoop up the soil at a point in the lowest portion of theirpath of travel and to upset at a point above for the purpose ofdischarging their loads; and the upsetting ot' each bucket beingaccompanied by a shock or impact by reason of its lip portion beingbrought into contact with a stop, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

2. The combination of a stop and an excavating-bucket, said bucket beingprovided with a lip adapted to scoop up the soil and constructed andarranged to be upset at a suitable point for the purpose of dischargingits load, the bucket when upset, and while in an inverted position,being subjected to a shock or impact by reason of its lip portion beingbrought violently into contact with said stop, substantial] y as and forthe purpose set forth.

3. A ditching-machine comprising a wheel having a plurality ofautomatically tripped or upset excavating-buckets arranged about itsperiphery, each bucket being provided with a suitable lip for scoopingup the soil, and each bucket, when upset and while in an invertedposition, being subjected to a shock or impact by reason of its lipportion being brought into contact with a portion of the said wheel,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A ditching-machine comprising a suitably-driven wheel having aplurality of automatically tripped or upset excavating-buckets mountedthereon, each bucket being provided with a suitable lip orlip portionadapted to scoop up the soil; said wheel being also provided with aplurality of stops for limiting the movements of the buckets, each stopbeing adapted and arranged to engage the lip or lip portion of a bucketand the impact of the buckets against the stops, when upset, serv- IOOIIO

ing to dislodge the dirt, substantially as described.

5. A ditching-machine comprising a wheel having a plurality ofexcavating-buckets pivotally mounted thereon, and having also a numberof stops arranged to limit the swing of the buckets; suitable meansbeing provided for tripping or upsetting the buckets, and the impact ofthe buckets upon the said stops, in upsetting, serving to insure acomplete and instantaneous dislodgment of the contents of the buckets.

6. A ditching-machine comprising a wheel having a plurality ofexcavating-buckets pi votally mounted thereon, and having also aplurality of stops for limiting the swing of the buckets; each bucketbeing provided with an arm, and suitable means being provided forintercepting said arms and thereby upsetting the buckets for the purposeof discharging their loads; and the impact of the buckets upon the saidstops, in upsetting, serving to dislodge the dirt from the buckets,substantially as described.

7. A ditching-machine comprising a wheel having a plurality ofexcavating-buckets pivotally mounted thereon, and having also aplurality of stops for limiting the swing of the buckets; each bucketbeing provided with an arm, and one or more tripping-arms being arrangedto intercept the bucket-arms and thereby upset the buckets for thepurpose of discharging their loads; and the impact of each bucketagainst a stop, in upsetting, serving to dislodge the soil from thebucket, substantially as described.

S. A ditching-machine comprising a vertically-adjustable wheel providedwith a plurality of pivotally-mounted buckets, and having also a numberof stops for limiting the swing of the buckets; each bucket beingprovided with an arm, and a stationary trippingarm being arranged tointercept the bucketarms and thereby trip or upset the buckets for thepurpose of discharging their loads; the said tripping-arm being adaptedto give the buckets an accelerated movement, and the impact of thebuckets upon the stops serving to dislodge the soil from the buckets.

9. A ditching-machine comprising a vertically-adjustable wheel providedwith a plurality of pivotally-mounted buckets, and having also aplurality of wood-faced stops for limiting the swing of the buckets;each bucket being provided with an arm, and a stationary tripping-armbeing arranged in the path of the bucket-arms; the said tripping-armhaving an intercepting portion adapted to give the buckets anaccelerated movement, in upsetting, land the impact of the buckets uponthe stops at such time serving to dislodge the dirt from the buckets.

10. A ditching-machine comprising a wheel .provided with a double row ofexcavatingbuckets, and having also a number of stops for limiting theswing of the buckets; means for rotating the wheel; and a couple of opj4galit positely arranged and laterally extending troughs for receivingthe dirt from the buckets, the impact of the buckets upon the stop, inupsetting, serving to insure a dislodgment of the dirt from each bucketwhile the latter is above one of the said troughs.

11. A ditching-machine comprising a vertically-adjustable wheel providedwith a double row of excavating-buckets which are adapted to scoop upthe soil at a point in the lower portion of their path of travel andwhich are automatically tripped or upset at a point above for thepurpose of discharging their loads; means for rotating the said wheel;means for adjusting the wheel; and a couple of oppositelyarranged andlaterallyextending troughs for receiving the dirt from the buckets, eachbucket when upset being subjected to a shock or impact for the purposeof dislodgng its contents.

l2. A ditching-machine comprisinga bodyframe; asupplemental tiltingframe; awheel mounted at one end of said tilting frame and provided witha double row of excavatingbuckets; a couple of adjustable troughsarranged at opposite sides ot` the said wheel, and mounted to swingabout the axis of the latter; and means for locking the troughs andtilting frame against relative shift.

13. A ditching-machine comprising a Wheel mounted upon a couple ofswinging arms and provided with a plurality of excavating-buckets whichare adapted to scoop up the soil at a point in the lower portion oftheir path of travel and which are automatically tripped or upset at apoint above for the purpose of dumping their loads; means for swingingthe said arms about their points of connection with the body-frame, soas to adjust the wheel in a substantially-vertical direction; means forrotating the wheel; an adjustable tripping device for tripping orupsetting the buckets, the said device being mounted to swing about theaxis of the Wheel; and means for locking the tripping device and thesaid swinging arms against relative shift.

14. A ditching-ma chine comprising a bodyframe; asupplemental tiltingframe; a wheel mounted at one end of said tilting frame and providedwith a plurality of excavating-b uckets; a bail arranged to swing aboutthe axis of said wheel; one or more devices mounted upon said bail andadapted to receive and dispose of the dirt discharged from the buckets;means for locking the said bail and the tilting frame against relativeshift; means for tilting the said tilting frame for the purpose ofadjusting the Wheel in a substantially-vertical direction; and means forrotating the said wheel.

15. A ditching-machine comprising a bodyframe; a supplemental tiltingframe; awheel mounted at one end of said tilting frame and provided witha double row of buckets; a bail arranged to swing about the axis of saidWheel; a couple of oppositely-arranged and laterallyextending troughsmounted upon IOO IIO

IZO

said bail and arranged to receive and dispose of the dirt dischargedfrom the buckets; a swinging arm having an adjustable connection withthe upper portion of said bail and whereby the latter and the tiltingframe may be locked against relative shift; means for tilting the saidtilting frame for the purpose of adjusting the wheel; and means forrotating the said wheel.

16. A ditching-machine comprisinga bodyframe; atilting frame;abucket-wheel mounted at the overhanging end of said tilting frame; abail arranged to swing about the axis. of the bucket-Wheel;l a couple ofoppositely arranged and laterally projecting troughs for receiving thedirty from the buckets; an arm arranged to swing about an axiscoincident with the axis of the tilting frame, and having its free endportion adjustably connected with the upper portion of the said bail;means for tilting the said tilting frame for the purpose of adjustingthe wheel; and means for rotating the wheel.

17. A ditching-machine comprising a pair of swinging arms; a wheelmounted at or near the free ends of said arms andprovided with aplurality of automatically tripped or upset excavating-buckets; a bailarranged to swing about the axis of the wheel and provided with meansfor tripping the buckets; a couple of troughs or the like mounted uponthe said bail and adapted to receive and dispose of the dirt dischargedfrom the buckets; a swinging arm having an adjustable connection withthe upper portion of the bail and whereby the latter and the arms whichsupport the wheel may be locked against relative shift; and means forrotating the said wheel.

18. A ditching-machine comprising a lantern-wheel or wallower providedwith excavating-buckets, and having a iiange at either side of itstrundles, and suitable spur-gearin g for rotating said wallower, theteeth of said gearing which engage said wallower being of a width to fitbetween said iianges and thereby prevent lateral shift or play on thepart of the said wallower, substantially as described.

19. A ditching-machine comprising alantern-Wheel or wallower providedwith a plurality of buckets which are adapted to scoop up the soil andwhich are automatically tripped or upset for the purpose of dischargingtheir loads; and a pinion or spur-wheel for rotating the said wallower,the teeth of said pinion being embraced by the annular rings or sidefianges of said wallower, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

20. A ditching-machine comprising a lantern-wheel or wallower havingrolls which serve as trundles and also provided with a plurality ofexcavating-buckets; and a pinion or spur-wheel for rotating the saidwallower, the rings or annular side flanges of said wallower embracingthe sides of said pincoincident with the axis about which the wallovverswings. v

22. A ditching-machine comprising a gearwheel provided withexcavating-buckets and arranged to swing about the rear axle; a pinionmounted upon said axle and arranged to engage the gear-wheel; and meansfor rotating the pinion for the purpose of rotating the gear-wheel.

23. A ditching-machine comprising a lantern-wheel or wallower providedwith excavating-buckets and arranged to swing about the rear axle; apinion or spur-wheel mounted upon said axle; and means for rotating thespur-wheel for the purpose of rotating the wallower.

24. A ditching-machine comprising a lantern-wheel or wallower providedwith excavating-buckets and arranged to swing about the rear axle; along sleeve loosely mounted upon said axle a spur-wheel or pinionmounted upon said sleeve and arranged to engage said wallower; and meansfor rotating the pinion for the purpose set forth.

25. A ditching-machine comprising a Wheel provided withexcavating-buckets, and having also one set of knives for stirring up orloosening the soil and another set for paring or shaving the sides ofthe trench.

26. A ditching-machine comprising a Wheel provided with automaticallytripped or upset buckets, and also with a set of knives for looseningthe soil and another set for paring or shaving the sides of the trench,substantially as described.

27. In a ditching-machine, alantern-wheel or wallower provided withexcavating-buckets and also with a set of knives for loosening the soiland a pinion for rotating the lantern-wheel, the teeth of saidpinionbeing embraced at either side by the rings or annular side flanges ofsaid wallower, substantially as described.

2S. In a ditching-machine, alantern-wheel or wallower provided withexcavating-buckets and also with a set of knives for loosening the soiland another set for paring or shaving the sides of the trench or ditch.

29. In a ditching-machine,the lantern-wheel or wallower providedperipherally with a double row of automatically tripped or upsetexcavating-buckets, and having also an intermediate row or s'eries oftrundles.

50. Ina ditching-machine, the combination ot a series of travelingbuckets which are adapted to scoop up the soil at a point in the lowerportion of their path of travel and which are then tripped at a pointabove for the pur- IOO IIO

pose of discharging their loads; a set of knives for stirring up orloosening the soil for the purpose set forth; and a set of knives forparing or shaving the sides of the trench to keep Iche buckets frombinding therein.

31. In a ditching-machine, the combination of a bodyframe; :Lsupplemental tilting frame a lantern-Wheel or Wallower mounted upon theoverhanging end of said tilting frame; a plurality of excavating-buckets1o mounted upon said Wallower; and a pinion or spur-Wheel for rotatingthe wallower and having an axis coincident with the axis about which thetilting frame tilts.

MORTON G. BUNNELL. VVtnesses:

ARTHUR F. DURAND, AGNES A. DEVINE.

